Gillian McKeith's Food Bible (132 page)

Beta-carotene-rich foods including carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, and winter squash. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant and immune booster. In addition, the body is able to convert it into vitamin A, which helps cells reproduce normally.

Tomatoes. This fruit contains a carotenoid antioxidant called lycopene (also found in sweet red peppers) that has been found to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells and may help protect against cancers of the prostate, lung, stomach, pancreas, bowel, esophagus, mouth, breast, and cervix. However, some people are sensitive to a compound called solanine in tomatoes. If you have arthriticlike symptoms and/or joint pain, it is not a food that I would feature in high amounts in an anticancer regime. It is possible to get supplements of lycopene from a health-food store.

Cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, rutabagas, turnips, bok choy, and watercress. You can obtain several anticancer compounds from this family of foods such as indole-3-carbinol, glucaric acid, and sulphoraphane.

Sprouted seeds and legumes, as they are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. Sprouted broccoli seeds are especially good, as they contain sulphoraphane glucosinolate, a precursor to the anticancer compound sulphoraphane, in amounts of up to 50 times higher than those found in broccoli.

High-fiber foods, particularly those rich in insoluble fiber such as whole grains (brown rice, millet, whole-wheat bread), and cereals. Other good sources of fiber include beans, lentils, peas, fruits, and vegetables. People who eat a high-fiber diet have been reported to have a low risk of many cancers.

Phytoestrogen-rich foods such as soy (tofu) and flax seeds, and to a lesser extent sesame seeds, oats, barley, chickpeas, lentils, alfalfa, apples, wheat germ, and fennel. These foods have a mild estrogenic effect, which appears to be protective against some cancers (breast, prostate, and colon).

Foods high in essential fatty acids including seeds like raw shelled hemp seeds, nuts, dark leafy green vegetables, tofu, and unrefined vegetable oils such as flax seed oil.

A small handful of raw almonds daily, as they contain anticancer properties.

Garlic has been found to lower the risk of esophageal, stomach, and bowel
cancers, which may be due to its ability to reduce the development of carcinogenic compounds in the body. So try to include garlic in your diet regularly.

Oily fish, as it is a good source of cancer-protective omega-3 fats.

Freshly pressed fruit and vegetable juices, as they are concentrated in anticancer phytochemicals and help to boost the immune system. They also cleanse, nourish, and hydrate the body.

Include sea vegetables in the diet: kombu, wakame, dulse, nori once or twice a week.